Laois council plans radical road and parking space reduction in Portlaoise

Laois County Council has signalled major changes that will impact traffic and car parking in Portlaoise as part of a roject which will see upwards of €15 million spent in the latest phase of regenerating the county town.

The urban regeneration and development project sees the local authority starting the process of appointing a design team for what's called the 'Portlaoise Placemaking for a Low Carbon Town Project'.

In tender documents seen by the Leinster Express / Laois Live the council refers to a report named “Portlaoise 2040 – A Vision for Portlaoise – A Strategy for a Better Town Centre”. When the plan was published in 2018, some other ambitions changes were also outlined. The implementation of this plan has already commenced and now the council wants to implement more of the targets set.  

Projects such as the new Railway Street Smart Transport Hub, Fitzmaurice Place, the Fort Protector Outdoor Performance and Event Space, Laois County Library were completed in 2024.

The council adds that other projects, such as the development of the ‘Old Convent Site’ for housing and public amenity use have commenced.

Now the council wants to recruit a team to develop a detailed design 'to consolidate the Town Centre and the Cultural Quarter as the core town centre for generations to come".

The complete development of the Cultural Quarter is a key objective, but the local authority also wants to advance projects that will likely impact daily commuting in the town.

The council wants to provide a significant reduction in town centre emissions. It says there is a heavy reliance on car-based travel in Portlaoise with a large percentage of Portlaoise car-based trips originating town.

The Council also says it is committed to reducing the number of town centre, public, car park spaces by 20%, in a phased manner. It says space currently allocated to car-parking will be reallocated to public transport (cycle/pedestrian measures, coach parking, public transport supports, bicycle parking, e-bike scheme and EV parking).

It intends on the 'rebalancing of 3000 car park spaces' in Portlaoise. It says that alongside the removal of car parking, remaining spaces will be reallocated in favour of vulnerable road users, whereby car travel is the only reasonable mode of transport available. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

To this end, 5% (120) of overall retained parking spaces will be disabled friendly spaces, 5% (120) will be age-friendly parking spaces, 3% (72) will be parent and child parking spaces and 1% (24) will be EV Charge Spaces.

In consultation with the national Transport Authority, the council says it is committed to the delivery of enhanced cycling/walking infrastructure on the key, strategic routes. It says this provides for significant alterations to James Fintan Lalor Avenue which would see the dual carriageway replaced by single carriageways with dedicated cycle and walking facilities added to the key artery which also acts as the N80.

The council adds that the bidders will be required to plan for the phased "upgrade the public realm"on Railway Street, Church Avenue, Main Street, Bull Lane, Lyster Lane, Pepper’s Lane and Lyster Square.

It also required the creation of "urban development sites" along JFL Avenue, consistent with the principles of "compact urban growth".

Also included is a requirement to conserve, refurbish and repurpose the old Granary Building to a useful space for the public in the Cultural Quarter of the town. In 2023, the Council sought to hire an expert design team to transform it into a museum. It is located within the walls of the Fort Protector facing onto Fitzmaurice Place.

The council said all elements of its plans are public funding-dependent, and each stage needs prior approval from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. However, the council has provided potential bidders with the potential costs of the three-phased overhaul of the town.

Phase 1

• Church Ave - Main St €745,555.50
• Railway St/Lyster Lane/Lyster Sq €1,902,704.61
• Bull Lane/Lyster Sq €1,043,706.19
• Peppar's Lane / Lyster Sq € 1,301,875.15 

Phase 2

• Market Square €1,517,167.60
• Main Street (Market Sq. - Church St) €1,254,996.50
• Main Street (Church Ave. - Railway St €1,254,996.50
• Main Street (Church S - Railway St) €1,004,547.19

Phase 3

• JFL Avenue €3,976,001.75

The council has estimated the value of the design contract to be €1.1 m. The council expects that the design preparation, tender, supervision, administration of the conservation and refurbishment contract, certification and handover of the various elements of the three phase project to be valued at €13 m to €14 m.

WATCH: Virtual reality tour of Portlaoise 2040   

Not everything in the 2040 vision plan for Portloise is referenced in the tender documentation. The published plan proposed that public car parking on Lyster Square be replaced with an underground car park. The council does not appear to want to proceed with this.